Introduction To understand why interpersonal communication is important for health, it is important to understand what interpersonal communication is and how to communicate effectively. Merriam-Webster defines interpersonal as “relating to or involving relationships between people; existing or happening between people. Communication is defined as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behavior to express or exchange information or to express one's ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc. to someone." When combined, interpersonal communication becomes the use of words, sounds, signs and/or behaviors exchanged between two or more people to share information, ideas, thoughts and feelings. In healthcare, interpersonal communication can occur between a healthcare professional and a patient, or between a group of healthcare professionals and other healthcare personnel. Communication in this field is very important and is subject to numerous barriers. Decision making requires effective interpersonal communication to take place in healthcare organizations to increase efficiency and effectiveness as well as quality of care. Effective Communication Effective communication is critical to success in the healthcare field. Patient satisfaction and compliance with treatment, as well as overall health outcomes, have been shown to improve when the healthcare team and patient communicate well. A patient who understands the information he or she is provided and believes that his or her healthcare providers care about his or her well-being is more likely to show satisfaction with the care received and be compliant with his or her treatment regimen. This is achieved by engaging in decision making that does not involve... half of the paper... ...risk reduction. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/final-reports/pscongrpt/psini2.html Institute for Healthcare Communication. July 2011. Impact of communication in healthcare. Retrieved from http://healthcarecomm.org/about-us/impact-of-communication-in-healthcare/Janasz, Suzanne C., PhD; Karen Dowd, PhD; Beth Schneider, MBA. Interpersonal skills in organizations. 4th edition. New York, New York. 2012.Merriam-Webster. 2014. Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/Schyve, Paul M., MD. October 24, 2007. Language differences as a barrier to quality and safety in healthcare. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2078554/USAID. Quality Assurance Methodology Refinement Series: Improving Interpersonal Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Clients. Retrieved from http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnace294.pdf